76 THE LAKE 



There is a great deal to be learnt from the wind, its 

 direction and force, and so on. The daily wind blows from 

 the south-east, being strongest in early afternoon and 

 dying away towards sunset. Sometimes it blew so strongly 

 when I was on Damba that canoes could not go out on 

 account of the white capped waves and the surf on the 

 shore. If this wind freshens again after sunset for a 

 little while, it usually implies bad weather next day, 

 especially if, during the night, a few fat drops of rain fall. 

 Such a night followed by a very calm, clear, warm, clouded 

 morning at daybreak invariably portends a storm before 

 mid-day, and one would not think of going out in a canoe. 



On the contrary, an early morning cold northerly breeze 

 from the mainland, with thick haze, foretells a very fine 

 hot day. This north breeze blows quite violently until 

 8 or 9 a.m., when it suddenly drops ; and, as suddenly, 

 the south-east wind rises and impresses its mark on the 

 lake before the waves due to the north wind have subsided ; 

 so that one sees ripples travelling in a northerly direction 

 superimposed on the swell running southwards. During 

 the rainy season, when there is a calm, curious map- 

 like areas of irregular shape and varied tints appear on 

 the still water, and I came to the conclusion that they 

 preceded a storm. 



Occasionally during this time of year the sun appears 

 surrounded by a misty ring at a considerable distance 

 from it ; but this was not common, and I never was able 

 to make out that it heralded any particular type of weather. 



In the driest months at the end of one year and com- 

 mencement of the next the sun's heat is powerful enough 

 to cause grass to take light spontaneously. Fires seen 

 on the islands are usually considered to be evidence of 

 the presence of natives in the forbidden area, but I am 

 quite satisfied, from the following instance, that they 

 can be of " spontaneous " origin 



On January 29, 1919, I was examining Nyenda Island, 



